When Maslenitsa begins and ends in 2020

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Shrovetide has become one of the most important holidays for Christians. Therefore, you always want to know in advance what date the pancake week begins and ends in 2020. So it will be possible to prepare in advance for an important event, stock up not only food, but also gifts for guests.

Holiday history and meaning

The tradition of celebrating Maslenitsa before the onset of Easter dates back to Ancient Rus. It was then that the pancake became the main symbol of this bright holiday filled with laughter and joy.

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However, few people think about how he is associated with Shrovetide and why he has been put at the head of the table for many centuries.

What is most interesting, there are two versions of why a pancake is considered a symbol of the holiday of spring:

1. It is a symbol of the sun, which warms the earth and awakens all living things to life. And so that spring would come into its own as soon as possible, stacks of pancakes were exhibited in every house, inviting the sun's rays. A round pancake is also a symbol of the unchanging cyclical nature of the seasons, when spring follows every winter and all living things awaken to life.
2. These are baked goods, which are considered to be a memorial. Therefore, it is customary for the Orthodox to carefully monitor what date Maslenitsa begins and ends in order to pay tribute to the memory of the souls of the departed. In 2020, this week starts on February 24th because Easter will be early enough. It is also an opportunity for believers to prepare for Great Lent, aimed at strengthening the body and spirit. That is why this week it is allowed to eat whatever one wants, in order to then gather with willpower and completely refuse food, which is prohibited by the church during fasting. Meat is considered an exception, since it can no longer be eaten from the beginning of the pancake week. That is why there is a saying among the people: "Feast and walk baba on Maslenitsa, but remember about fasting." After all, this is the stage of pre-purification, which ends with Forgiveness Sunday, when one must forgive everyone and ask for forgiveness from others in order to come to Great Lent after repenting of all sins.
3. In ancient times, the wise men, based on folk signs, calculated the date of the beginning of the holiday. The tradition of invoking spring with pancakes and burning a straw effigy dates back to Ancient Rus. The Slavs believed that in this way they help the goddess of Spring to quickly come into her own and win, drive away Mother Winter. That is why a ruddy, round and golden pancake was considered a symbol of the sun, which becomes stronger and warms the earth. This means that it will be possible to go out into the field and sow wheat, go to the forest for berries and mushrooms. And from this period a new round of life begins.

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However, after the arrival of Christianity in Russia, the Church changed these traditions, and it became customary for the Orthodox to calculate the date of Maslenitsa celebrations, according to a different principle.

Now the exact date (as in 2020) is not known by signs, but by the church calendar, it starts before Easter. And on pancake week, it is customary to remember all people who have passed away and pay tribute to them.

Traditions and customs

Until the second half of the 18th century, people calculated what date Maslenitsa begins and ends, according to the old calendar and folk signs. And during the festive weeks, they organized folk festivities with the burning of a scarecrow. Later, at the behest of Emperor Alexander I and Patriarch Hadrian, two pancake weeks were reduced to one, and the celebration of Maslenitsa became as we know it now, with a ban on the use of meat dishes and without a pagan context.

In 2020, Maslenitsa precedes Forgiveness Sunday and begins on February 24th.

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The very custom of baking pancakes in anticipation of spring appeared in the countryside in Russia. When winter was not over yet, and cows and other livestock had not yet brought offspring, people tried to save on meat dishes and preferred to replace them with dairy products. That is why the tradition of baking and eating pancakes with cottage cheese and sour cream appeared on the eve of spring.

Also, people tried to meet Maslenitsa with fun and enthusiasm in order to attract good luck in the new year. Therefore, they gathered for festivities, sang ditties and danced in round dances, played outdoor games and staged theatrical performances, and also rode a sled race.

Another tradition was to find a groom during pancake week. In order to please the betrothed, the girls dressed beautifully and tried to attract attention with their perky laughter and cheerful disposition. And then, if a young guy liked a girl, he sent matchmakers to her, and in the spring the wedding was held.

On Shrovetide, all the housewives tried to bake delicious, beautiful, even and equally round pancakes. It was believed that if the stack is even, then happiness will come to the house and it will be possible to collect a rich harvest.

Over time, traditions have changed, and now pancakes are considered the main memorial dish, and folk festivals and traditions of celebrating a holiday on the street already look completely different. Shrovetide became the forerunner of Lent and preparation for a long period of purification of the soul and body. And what date begins and when Maslenitsa ends in 2020 directly depends on what date Easter falls on.

If we turn to the church calendar, then, with its skillful use, it is easy to understand that the pancake week begins on February 24 and lasts until March 1.

You can calculate the date yourself. To do this, it is necessary to take away 48 days of Great Lent and another 7 days of Maslenitsa itself from April 19, on which Easter falls. Then it will become clear when this holiday begins.

Bonus

1. In 2020, Maslenitsa begins on February 24 and ends on March 1, which falls on Forgiveness Sunday. You cannot eat meat this week and you need to start preparing for Great Lent.
2. Pancake is the main memorial dish, which is usually placed on the table to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased.
3. Pagan rituals and traditions were directly related to the harvest, on which the family's well-being depended. Therefore, it was believed that even and beautiful pancakes, fun during games will help drive away the winter and bring happiness and wealth to the house.
4. In Ancient Russia, on Shrovetide, it was customary to find a groom to celebrate a wedding in the spring. Therefore, the girls tried to laugh heartily and dress beautifully, wishing to attract the attention of the most handsome young guy.